Luring The Behaviors

So since Stewie was spending the day sleeping on my bed I decided to make him do some work. So I broke up some of his Wellness kitty treats, which woke him up. Then I got out my pen and charged the click a couple more times.

Then I put 4 treats in my hand and lured him into a sit 3 times. Each time he sat I clicked and gave him a treat. The 4th time I showed him I had food, then put it behind my back, when he sat I clicked and treated him (c/t). He sat relatively quickly too. I repeated several times without showing him I had food and he offered sits each time.

After several repetitions of sit I tried luring him to look at me. That didn't go over so well, he only gave me eye contact once. So we'll have to work on that some more.

Next I worked on hand targeting. I put my hand out, palm facing him, about 5 inches in front of his nose. He touched my fingers lightly and I c/t. After a couple repetitions I raised the criteria and required a harder touch to get his c/t. Instead he offered a lick, so I took it and we did several repetitions of him licking my hand when it was presented.

Later on we demo'd everything for Dad with food. And even later we demo'd for Mom not using food. I put my hand out and he touched it. And later I showed him I had a toy and he offered a sit and then was rewarded with a brand new squeaky mouse!

This has been quite fun and I can't wait to continue working with him!

Stupid Humans

The one who refers to me as "Shtook-ums" was taunting me with the pen again today. She would wave a piece of food in my face and when I would become impatient and sit there waiting for her to finish taunting me she would click the pen and then toss the food on the bed. How dare she thrown my food on the floor!

Next she insisted that I touch her hand to get my food. She wanted me to look at her, but I refused and she quickly gave up.

I find this degrading, though I'm not opposed to free food and these Wellness treats are quite tasty. I suppose I will humor her for a while longer.

Charging the Clicker

I had toyed with the idea of clicker training Stewie when he was younger. I got out my treats and clicker and started charging it. It didn't go very far. First off he was startled by the sound of the click, and secondly he wasn't very in to the treats. So I scrapped the idea for a while.

Lately he has been becoming more and more obstinate about sneaking out the door. We absolutely do not want him to be an outside cat, but it's a fight to try and keep him inside. So last night I decided to put a jar of treats next to the door and anytime we leave and he is in the kitchen we will toss a treat away from the door to distract him. He bought into this concept so fast it wasn't funny. I even lured him into a sit with one of the treats. So I started thinking, maybe I would try the clicker again.

So this morning I took a retractable pen and a handful of treats and started clicking the pen and offering Stewie a treat. After a few clicks he began looking at the pen and waiting for his treat!!!! So I'm thinking we're gonna be starting to teach him some things.

Casey

7 months

7 months

6 months

4 months old

May 2008

April 2008 Cont.

April 2008

Easter

Today Lauren came over to visit me. I was very thrilled because she gave me a toy. It was something squishy and I wasn't sure what to do with it at first. I feel I may be able to use it when I take over the world, but I'm not sure how yet.

I seem to be more ambulatory with each day that passes. This excites as it means I am one day closer to making my escape. I shall begin exploring my surroundings more when the people are not looking. There must be some way of sneaking out without them knowing.

Freedom!

I am thoroughly disgusted with what has become of my life. These people do not seem to understand who I am. They shove this horrible thing down my throat, granted it contains a warm, tasty liquid. They use a warm cloth to do horrors I do not wish to recall. And they are constantly cuddling me! Blech. On the up side, I seem to be becoming more mobile with each day and I hope to be outta here soon.

Foster Care

These people brought me home the day after I was surrendered to the shelter. The shelter was uncertain whether or not I would survive (clearly they don't know me) and what type of foster (I do not know what that is but it sounds bad) I should go to, but this girl was adamant that she take me home. I will say they made me a nice little set-up in a crate with some stuffies to curl up with. I think I shall name the brown one Rupert.


Also there seem to be these big furry things that made horrendous noises. I could sense one sniffing my crate. I feel it may have been trying to eat me. I shall have to check this out more once my eyes open.

I once was lost, but now I'm found

My mother abandoned me today. I think she could sense what I was to become in this world. Apparently she did not want to be the mother of the next Emperor of Earth. She left me behind a Burger King to die. However, I was found by an innocent man who heard my battle cries and brought me to the Lowell Humane Society. How dare he bring me to a shelter, clearly he did not know who I was.

However, the people there did warm me up and feed me. One even took me home for the night.


She even introduced me to my future Empress, Raven. (Perhaps for that I will spare her when the time comes...)